Conventional techniques for activating telecommunications services typically require users to go through a multiple-stage process. Even for a user who is evaluating a telecommunications service, the user is typically required to experience a multiple-stage process and delays between stages before being able to evaluate a telecommunications service to decide whether to use the telecommunications service. For example, a user is typically asked, in one stage, to provide contact information (e.g., name, address, or other contact information). In the alternative or in another stage, a user is typically asked to provide billing information (e.g., a credit card number). After contact and billing information has been provided, if required, activating a telecommunications service is itself a multiple-stage process.
FIG. 1 depicts an interface 100 typically used in traditional telecommunications service activation techniques. In a typical telecommunications service activation process, a window 102 is presented to a user in response to a request (not shown) to activate a telecommunications service. Window 102 includes an activation option (“Next”) 104, which can be a link. As FIG. 1 shows, window 102 transitions to window 112 when the user selects activation option 104. The user then is presented with window (“Provisioning Panel”) 112 to provide data to a conventional backend system 115 to provision a telecommunications service. Conventional backend system 115 operates to provision, configure and/or activate telecommunications services, such as a virtual PBX. The user typically experiences a transition back to window 102 if the user desires to review information regarding the telecommunications service. In some conventional backend systems, the user can also experience a delay before being able to proceed to the next step of an activation process, which typically resumes with window 102. To configure the telecommunications service, a user usually is required to transition from either window 102 or 112, by choosing either selection (“Next”) 104 or selection (“Next”) 106, respectively. Again, the user traditionally experiences another transition to window (“Configuration Panel”) 122 to interact with conventional backend system 115 to configure the telecommunications service. Yet again, a user encounters further delays when the user transitions back to window 102, should, for example, the user desires to review information regarding the selected telecommunications service. The back-and-forth activation process continues between window 102 or 122 and window (“Activation Panel”) 132 to activate the telecommunications service. By requiring the user to interact with two or more windows 102, 112, 122, and 132, the multiple-stage, back-and-forth process interrupts the user experience during activation. Thus, a user experiences numerous transitions in the process of procuring telecommunications services. It is also expected that, after each stage, some users decide not to continue with the relatively cumbersome activation process, resulting in the loss of potential customers or customers.
Thus, a solution is needed to provide a method and a system for activating telecommunications services, without the limitations of conventional techniques.